TCM health books

First, use time-proven classics to avoid pitfalls, and then choose contemporary practical reading books that match your needs. If the title of the book includes "cure for all diseases", "miraculous prescription" and "radical cure for difficult and complicated diseases", just write it off. Don't follow the trend and buy the private book list of Internet celebrity bloggers. Nine out of ten books will be subject to IQ tax.

When I first became obsessed with health preservation two years ago, I ran into many pitfalls. I followed the trend and bought the "Secret Recipes for Removing Dampness" published by a blogger with millions of followers. I followed the book and drank red bean and barley water plus moxibustion every day. After drinking it for less than half a month, my aunt postponed it for a full 12 days, and my hands and feet were even colder than before. Later, I went to see an old Chinese medicine doctor I often see. After listening to it, the old man was very happy and said that I originally had a constitution with a weak spleen and stomach. The method in the blogger's book was for people with a damp-heat constitution. Of course there would be problems if I used it blindly. Finally, he made a list of introductory books for me and said that it is not too late to understand these things first and then mess around.

Speaking of classics, there is quite a quarrel in the circle now. Academic friends always say that ordinary people must first read the textbook "Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine" before reading the original "Huangdi Neijing" and "Treatise on Febrile Diseases". Otherwise, all they learn is second-hand knowledge and it is easy to go astray.； However, many traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who have learned from folk think that ordinary people are not doctors and cannot read obscure ancient texts. They can just fix their own minor ailments and there is no need to go to that trouble. In fact, both statements are correct. It depends on your own needs - if you really want to learn systematically, not only to adjust yourself in the future, but also to give reference to your family members, the thin blue-covered "Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine" textbook is really yyds. ； If you just want to treat colds, constipation, shoulder and neck pain, then just find a selected version of the Huangdi Neijing with a vernacular translation. You don’t need to memorize it all. Just remember the core points of “comb your hair more in spring and don’t put on your hair in autumn” and “don’t sweat profusely in winter”.

I have a programmer friend who used to suffer from shoulder and neck pain that made him unable to lift his arms. He was constipated once a week. So he started chewing the original "Huangdi Neijing". After reading for half a month, he couldn't understand anything, but he became even more anxious. Later, I gave him a book called "It's Better to Seek Medical Treatment than to Seek Yourself" by Zhongliba people. He pressed the Zusanli and Jianjing points for three days according to the method in the book. His constipation was cured first, and his shoulder and neck pain was mostly relieved. However, this book is quite controversial. Many professionals say that a lot of the content in it is not rigorous enough. For example, the suitable group of people for tapping the gallbladder meridian is not clearly stated. People with weak Qi and blood will become more and more weak when tapping the gallbladder meridian. This is why I say that you should learn from the classics first - only after you have basic dialectical skills can you know which methods are suitable for you and which methods are not.

On an interesting note, last year I helped my mother organize old bookcases and found out a copy of "The Barefoot Doctor's Handbook" that she bought in the 1970s. The paper was so yellow that it became brittle. There were many simple Chinese medicine prescriptions in it. For example, if you have a cold, boil ginger, brown sugar, scallions in water, and grow wheat. To treat granuloma, use chrysanthemum and honeysuckle boiled water to smoke your eyes. Our family still uses it today. It is much more effective than many ridiculously expensive health care products. However, there is also a prescription for using neem seeds to repel insects. It has been proven that it has considerable toxicity, so it must not be used casually. So don’t think that old books are necessarily reliable, and don’t think that new books are just crap. The key is that you have to be able to choose.

As for how to avoid pitfalls? I have learned from many years of experience. If the author does not indicate the qualifications of a practicing Chinese medicine practitioner, please be careful. Previously, an internet celebrity advocated eating three kilograms of raw eggplants a day to reduce blood lipids. Many people suffered from diarrhea and were sent to the hospital. Later I found out that the person had never studied medicine at all and was just making it up for the sake of selling. There is also the kind of person who says from the very beginning that his prescription can cure diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer, and just throw it away. If he is really capable, he will have to win the Nobel Prize ten times. How can he write a book and earn you dozens of dollars?

In fact, if you really want to talk about it, is there any must-read list that is suitable for everyone? If you feel sleepy when reading ancient texts, no matter how good the classics are, it will be of no use. Why not find a light book with comics and about home-cooked food therapy to arouse your interest first. After all, when it comes to health care, it’s all about how you feel comfortable. It’s better than just eating small powder pills and dehumidifying tea without knowing anything, right?